


noughts and crsses

by Abc_gloor



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: First Meeting, How Do I Tag, M/M, Magnus Bane is beautiful, Shy Alec Lightwood, alec thinks so too, stop light
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 11:44:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11897061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abc_gloor/pseuds/Abc_gloor
Summary: alec stops at a stop light which has a noughts and crosses game panel installed. It was built so people would wait more but it wasn't used a lot. Now it suddenly was and Alec couldn't not play, the need to win was too big. Except the stranger  at the other side of the road wanted to win too.Inspired by a post about stop lights like this. apparently Germany has one.noughts and crosses is also known as tic tac toe





	noughts and crsses

Alec didn’t have to hurry, he had enough time. 

He walked to his office like he did everyday and stopped where he always stopped. It was in the less busy part of New York but he had to stop for cars almost every day.

The stop light was on red and looking at the amount of people that were there, it wasn’t red for long.

He stopped next to the stoplight and waited when something caught his eye. 

This was a stoplight which had a noughts and crosses game on it. It was installed so people could do something while they waited instead of losing their patience and walking before the stop light was green. 

In the 2 years that he walked this way to his formerly internship and now work place, no one every used it, at least not while he was standing next to it. Most of the people were too wrapped up in their own lives to start a noughts and crosses game with some random stranger. 

Until today, looking down he saw that some stranger, one he couldn’t see because the traffic was in between them, had put a X in the left bottom corner.

Alec couldn’t keep the smile of his face when he thought about his move.

He decided to put his O above it, placing it at the left middle edge.

The stranger responded a few moments later. Placing their X at the right bottom corner.

Alec couldn’t help noticing that his competitive side was coming up. He wanted to win this, he noticed. 

So after a few moments he put his O in between them, at the bottom middle edge, blocking the stranger from connecting the three. 

The stranger had apparently expected this because not more that a few seconds later, they had placed his X in the right top corner.

Alec realised fast that he was gonna lose. Now the stranger could connect the right bottom corner with the right top corner and win or he could connect the left bottom corner with the right top corner. Either way, Alec could only block one. 

He frowned slightly, hoping to figure out someway to still win. He couldn’t so he scoffed slightly before putting his O in the center. Blocking the stranger from connecting the right top corner X with the left bottom X, but the stranger could still connect the top right X with the bottom right X.

They did just that and Alec’s screen turned red, a big black ‘LOSE’ occupying his formerly noughts and crosses screen.

Alec thought that that was it but before he could turn back, the screen was back to the game and he saw that the stranger had put their X in right top corner.

Alec thought for a moment. Not wanting to lose again, he knew that if he was fast enough, he would be the one to make the first move but he didn’t know they were going to play another game. So now he would have to live with the consequences, which was not being first.

After thinking about it for a moment, he decided to put his O in the center, hoping to block the stranger from winning another game. 

The stranger reacted by putting their X in the left bottom corner.

Alec was confused for a moment because it didn’t make any sense, alec was already blocking that way.

Smiling at the chance that he could win, he put his O in he right bottom corner.

The stranger didn’t respond for a few moment and alec was half happy because he thought that maybe he had outsmarted the stranger, and half worried that the stranger didn’t want to play anymore. Because surprisingly, Alec was really enjoying this. It was probably because he loved games, he loved it even more when he won. 

He didn’t have to wait for long and Alec’s smile slightly disappeared when he saw where the stranger placed their X.

His smile didn’t disappear fully, because no matter how much he loved winning, he also loved good competition.

The stranger had put their X in the left top corner, blocking Alec from winning and also left Alec with no other change than placing his O in one place but leaving the other place open so the stranger would win. Again.

Alec decided to place his O on the middle top edge, blocking the stranger from connecting the right top corner and left top corner. 

However, it left the place between the left bottom corner and left top corner open and the stranger put their X there. Winning the game. 

Once again the screen turned red and a big ‘LOSE’ filled the screen. Alec wanted to begin first now but the stranger was faster. 

It wasn’t that much of a surprise to Alec, because apparently this stranger knew all the secret tricks on how to win this game, but Alec lost again.

It went like that for three more rounds, Alec being too slow to start first and the stranger starting first. Winning no matter where Alec put his O. 

It could’ve gone on for longer but a stranger bumping into Alec brought him back into the real world and when he looked at his watch he saw that he was standing there for 15 minutes already. 

They were in the middle of the game but Alec had to go. He didn’t want to be late.

So he got his bag, that was somehow on the ground, probably put the during one of the games after Alec got tired of carrying it. And left the stop light. 

It was luckily green light so Alec could just move with the mass of people, that it was less busy that other places in New York didn’t mean a lot, it was still New York after all.

When he got to the other side, he still saw the stranger there, making him stop. The stranger was man Alec saw. Not much older than himself from what he could see. 

He was wearing black skinny jeans with dark purple boots who had a 3 inch heel. A purple blazer covering his chest .(What he was wearing under that, Alec couldn’t see because of the way the man was standing) He was wearing make up, highlight making his cheekbones shine and eyeliner that was done perfectly (according to Izzy, Alec’s sister, and what she showed him) His hair had purple streaks in it and calling the man beautiful wouldn’t be enough. 

Apparently the man noticed he was being stared at because before he knew it, he was meeting Alec’s gaze and smirking slightly, raising one eyebrow.

Alec didn’t even know he blushed, he never did when some girl came to flirt with him (eventually Alec had to break it to them that he was gay and the whole situation turned awkward) but here he was, blood rising to his cheeks and the stranger only looked at him. 

Eventually, too soon for Alec to put himself back together, the stranger came over to him.

He was even more perfect up close Alec thought to himself. 

“Can I ask why you were staring at me darling?” The stranger asked with a smile on his face and his voice was smooth and Alec was pretty sure that if that was the only voice he had to hear for the rest of his entire life, he would be content with it.

Alec didn’t answer so the stranger raised one eyebrow. 

“I had to go” Alec said and he realised that that didn’t make any sense so he continued. “I mean, you were probably waiting for my next move, probably so you can win again. But yeah I had to go.”

He was rambling and he knew it but the stranger didn’t seem to mind.

“I’m Magnus Bane.” The stranger- Magnus said. “And you are?” 

Magnus had this sense of calmness, he was patient. “Alec.” He said. “Alec Lightwood.” 

Magnus laughed softly and Alec would think by any other person that they were laughing at them but Magnus wasn’t laughing at him, he was just laughing. And god, Alec really wanted to hear that laugh more. 

“Well, Alexander” Magnus said and Alec perked up at the use of his full name being said, more at the fact that he didn’t mind it. Maybe it was the way in which Magnus said it that he liked, he said it in a positive way, in a way that no one had ever said it. “That is your name right? Alec is short for Alexander?” Magnus asked and Alec nodded. Maybe too eager but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.

“Well Alexander,” Magnus started again, smiling slightly at Alexander. “you’re not very good at noughts and crosses, are you?” He asked jokingly. 

Normally Alec would be an awkward mess right about now but Magnus made him feel at ease so it wasn’t awkward at all. He was just himself.

“Excuse you. You made the first move every time. It’s hard to win when you can’t ever go first.” Alec said and he hoped that the big smile he had on his face would make it clear to Magnus that he was joking.

Magnus did see and he was smiling brightly too.

“Well, we have to let you go first sometime don’t you think. How about the old fashioned way with pen and paper over coffee?” Magnus said and Alec could hardly believe how someone like Magnus would ask out someone like himself. He was asking him out right?

“Like on a date?” He couldn’t help but ask. 

Magnus smiled. “Yes, darling, like a date. If you want that of course?” He asked and Alec almost laughed how could anyone say no to Magnus. 

“Yeah, I would love that. When?” 

Magnus smiled, satisfied, “How about now?” He asked before it dawned to him. “Oh no! you had to go of course. How about tomorrow morning? it’s sunday so I hope you don’t have work. 10 am and meeting here?” He asked and Alec nodded.

“Yeah. 10 am. i’ll be here.” He said and they said their goodbyes, Alec would probably have said yes to right now if it wasn’t for that meeting he had for which he was already late. 

He just had to practise noughts and crosses a lot today and defeat Magnus tomorrow.


End file.
